Michael Madsen, the rough-and-tumble actor best known for his work in the Quentin Tarantino films Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, died Thursday morning. He was 67.
Madsen was found unresponsive by deputies responding to a 911 call at his Malibu home and pronounced dead at 8:25 a.m., a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
Liz Rodriguez, his rep at EMR Media Entertainment, told THR that “we understand Michael had a cardiac arrest.” (From the Hollywood Reporter)
(From me): Consummate tough guy. Donny Brasco. Kill Bill. Reservoir Dogs. Etc. He played the role of psychopathic killer perfectly.
I went and looked at his IMDB page to recall some of his roles. I had to scroll a long way before I got to the ones I think of him in, like Sonny in Donnie Brasco and Virgil Earp in Wyatt Earp. The man was in a ton of films. Sorry to see his passing, I liked him in anything I saw him in.
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damn, only 67. I enjoyed the roles he played, granted most of them were heavies, he had a screen presence that led the audience to know he was not to be messed with, that's a quality you don't see much with younger actors today. Too many pretty boys and work-out warriors.
Posts: 15545 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000
He had a 3 packs of smokes a day voice back to the 1990’s when he gained prominence. I really enjoyed a lot of his work. From Wyatt Earp “I think you should take his knife too Wyatt. He cut that man in Texas from his belly to his dick”. To Mr. Blonde to Sonny in Donnie Brasco..he sure as shit nailed many of his roles. He was even outstanding Hateful Eight but his voice sounded worse, like it was 4 packs of Marlboro Red longs, a day.
A very good character actor. Tarantino liked him. Put him in Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and even a small role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Sad to hear but sounds like he brought a lot on himself. Some of his work will stand the test of time and already has.
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Posts: 13622 | Location: Down South | Registered: January 16, 2010
both Chicago natives, and came back here pretty regularly. Their father was on the Chicago Fire Dept and worked with my father. I met Michael in the firehouse visiting my dad just after Donny Brasco came out.
Pretty down to earth, easy going guy. He was jokingly busting my chops about being a Cop after most of my family is on the Fire Side, which is normal rivalry here. Seemed like your typical Blue-Collar Chicago guy.
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Posts: 8972 | Location: Attempting to keep the noise down around Midway Airport | Registered: February 14, 2008
Years ago, I read different pieces on him, and he was a throwback to the actors in the past- Richard Burton, Humphrey Bogart, etc. Guys who would drink multiple bottles of booze everyday, for years, decades. Get into scrapes with the law over his drinking. And unlike the old stars, Madsen became too toxic to work with. It is really too bad, he was a great actor.
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Posts: 18264 | Location: Texas | Registered: May 13, 2003
As well as his roles in the Tarantino movies I really liked him in Species and the Getaway (1994).
"But, as luck would have it, he stood up. He caught that chunk of lead." Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock "If there's one thing this last week has taught me, it's better to have a gun and not need it than to need a gun and not have it." Clarence Worley
I saw this thread and saw the face of another actor in my mind’s eye. I was sorry to finally open this thread and find out who Madsen, in fact was. I liked him.
quote:
Kids are a great excuse for you to stop acting like one. - Michael Madsen
quote:
(On the films he's proud of) Kill Bill, Species (1995), Free Willy (1993), Thelma & Louise (1991), Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Donnie Brasco (1997). Six, that's it. That's not a low number. I'm just hard to please. I've made some crap but you've got to pay the bills. - Michael Madsen
_______________________________________________________ despite them
Posts: 14225 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: January 10, 2008
Just finished watching "Die Another Day", and there was Michael Madsen playing the American spy supervisor...he was roughly a year older than myself too.
Posts: 3718 | Location: Fairfax Co. VA | Registered: August 03, 2015
